Aug 20
College of Arts + Sciences Expo
Dunn Meadow
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News & Events
Animal Behavior Internship Fair 2026
Animal Behavior students met with representatives from the Indianapolis Zoo and local wildlife conservation and rehab organizations at the first Animal Behavior Internship Fair held February 19 at the Biology Building Atrium. The Animal Behavior Program partnered with the Walter Center for Career Achievement and the Animal Behavior Career Advancement Student Group to plan and organize the event. The Animal Behavior Internship Fair brought together industry-related employer partners and IU students from the Animal Behavior Program and related majors to explore internship opportunities for Summer 2026 and beyond.
Animal Behavior Majors: You might be interested...
- VOLUNTEER: Summer Volunteer Chimpanzee Behavior Observation Program at the Indianapolis Zoo
POSTED: 4/20/2026
The Indianapolis Zoo is currently receiving applications for our Summer Volunteer Chimpanzee Behavior Observation Program, which is being led by the Zoo's Research Department in collaboration with Professor Erica Cartmill. This will be the third summer of the program.
- SUMMER INTERNSHIP: Chimp Haven
Posted 1/28/2026
I am reaching out from the internship team at Chimp Haven. Chimp Haven is the world’s largest chimpanzee sanctuary, providing retirement to hundreds of former research chimpanzees on 200 beautiful, forested acres outside of Shreveport, Louisiana. Chimp Haven is happy to offer internships with both our husbandry and behavior teams. These internships provide a unique opportunity to not only work with hundreds of chimpanzees, but to see the work that goes into running an animal sanctuary. Internship applications are open year round, but summer is our most competitive season. See our promotional flyers for both internships.
- RESEARCH ASSISTANT: COMPARE Lab Research Assistant recruitment with ABEH students
This is Noah Baskin Monk and Dr. Erica Cartmill, lab manager and PI, respectively, of the COMPARE Lab. In our lab, we study the social cognitive abilities of humans and animals, primarily with children, dogs, and great apes. We have been launching our lab over the past semester, and we’re now looking for interested undergrads to join our lab as research assistants!
Our goal is for research assistants to gain experience in all aspects of research and with the questions that most interest them. Our current projects range in scope; however, our studies on campus primarily focus on research with children and companion dogs. We also work with great apes housed at the Indianapolis Zoo. More information about who we are and what we do can be found on our lab website.
If you are interested in joining our lab, please fill out our Interested Researcher form. We will be reviewing applications shortly after the new year! If you have any questions, please contact us at icompare@iu.edu.
*Please note that RAs are expected to be available for 10 hours per week, which includes lab and project meetings. Research assistant roles will be volunteer positions in Spring 2026. We hope to be able to offer stipends to RAs in the fall.
All the best,
Noah & Erica
- FIELD SCHOOL: DANTA Tropical Biology and Conservation Field Courses in Costa Rica
Danta is pleased to announce our 2025/2026 field courses in tropical biology. Our courses are intended for undergraduates or early graduate level students who have a keen interest in tropical ecosystems and conservation but have little or no experience of working in a tropical environment. Participants may enroll on either a credit or non-credit basis.
As much of our advertising is done by word-of-mouth, we encourage you to spread the word by forwarding this information to students or friends who may be interested in our programs.
For more information, please visit our website at www.danta.info and/or email conser...@danta.email. For an alumni perspective on our programs, please see our blog DANTAisms - http://dantablog.wordpress.com/ [dantablog.wordpress.com].
Wildlife Conservation and Sustainability
When:Summer Session: July 1-16, 2026
Program Fee: $3100
Application deadline: June 1, 2026
Methods in Primate Behavior and Conservation
When: June 15-30, 2026
Program fee: $3100
Application deadline: May 1, 2026
Field Excursion
All courses include a visit to a wildlife rehabilitation center, sustainable chocolate plantation and dolphin and snorkeling trip of the Golfo Dulce. We will stay overnight on the Boruca Indigenous Reserve where we will learn about the community and their traditional lifeways. Every effort is made to implement eco-friendly and socially responsible practices into our day-to-day operations, field courses and overall mission.--
DANTA: Association for Conservation of the Tropics
438 Norway Avenue
Huntington, WV 25705 USA
conservation@danta.email
740-274-2733
- STUDENT INTEREST MEMBERSHIP: Association of Zoos and Aquariums Student membership call out
Hi Dr. Wellman,
My name is Jada Ryan, and I am reaching out on behalf of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation.
We at AZA are looking to establish a connection with Indiana University’s Animal Behavior program. As an organization, we recognize that the strength of the zoo and aquarium industry is best determined by the knowledge, integrity, and commitment of its members. As such, one of our goals is to enhance the zoo industry by acquiring and retaining the brightest minds.
We recently developed a brochure that outlines the benefits of AZA Student Membership while also providing an overview of the complimentary resources available to students on our website. Of particular significance is the AZA Career Center, a web page wherein students have access to a comprehensive selection of job/internship listings.
Best,
Jada Ryan
Program Assistant, Member Services
Association of Zoos & Aquariums
8403 Colesville Road, Suite 710
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3314
(P) (301) 244-3340
(E) jryan@aza.org
Check back regularly for new updates
Animal Behavior Highlights
Animal Behavior Faculty and Grad Students Study Complex Cognitive Processes in Rats.
CISAB faculty member Jonathan Crystal, along with CISAB grad students Siyan Xiong and Cassandra Sheridan, have just published a study demonstrating that rats can remember not just a sequence of events, but also how and where they acquire information—in much the same way that humans do. . Interested in learning more? Their study was just published in Current Biology see below.
Current Biology
CISAB member in the News: Dante Nesta
Biology graduate student and CISAB member, Dante Nesta from the Ledón-Rettig Lab recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. A groundbreaking new study about tadpoles that turn into cannibals may sound like fodder for nature trivia, but it carries a much deeper message about evolution—and even about ourselves.
See article
Animal Behavior Faculty, Michael Wasserman receives new NSF Grant
From tropical forests to smallholder farms, Indiana University’s Michael Wasserman is tracing how naturally occurring and human-made chemicals move through ecosystems, and how agricultural change may impact health for both people and wildlife.
See articleFellowship, Scholarship, + Award Deadlines
- ABEH Undergraduate Summer Study Scholarships Deadline March 27th of each year
The Program in Animal Behavior awards two summer study scholarships each year to aid outstanding Animal Behavior majors at IU Bloomington with the costs of summer field courses, internships, or research experiences in fields relevant to the study of animal behavior. These awards help to defray costs of travel and fees for these experiences. Deadline is March 27th of each year.
- Alex Black Memorial Scholarship Deadline March 27th of each year
Alex Black was an outstanding student who received her B.S. degree in Animal Behavior in 2018. She was committed to social justice, strongly advocating for mental health and domestic violence awareness. She was also passionate about her work with animals, spending hundreds of hours on internships both during her undergraduate career and after graduation. The Alex Black Memorial Scholarship was established by Alex’s family to honor Alex’s memory and helps to support students in the Animal Behavior program while they complete summer internships.
Two scholarships are awarded per year, and all students pursuing a B.S. degree in Animal Behavior are eligible to apply. Deadline is March 27th of each year.- Goodson Prize for the Art in Science Submission deadline is in March
Goodson Prize for Art in Science
Dr. Jim Goodson was a vibrant member of the CISAB community. In addition to being a consummate neuroscientist and critical thinker, Jim was also extraordinarily gifted at capturing the beauty of his science via images, of both his study subjects and his histological material. The Goodson Prize for Art in Science recognizes outstanding research images from CISAB members that are not just scientifically meaningful but are also beautiful. Winning images are showcased both in the CISAB house and on our website.
- Faculty Nominations for Excellence in Thesis Research in Animal Behavior
To recognize some of our many outstanding Animal Behavior majors, CISAB Undergraduate Curriculum Committee has established a new award for Excellence in Thesis Research in Animal Behavior.
- CISAB Graduate Fellowship applications deadline February 9, 2026
CISAB Graduate Scholars are outstanding IU graduate students who exemplify an integrative approach to the study of animal behavior through their research, teaching and other professional activities. Awards range from summer support up to 10 months of stipend support. To apply for CISAB funding, applicants must be CISAB members.
All materials (including letters from references) must be submitted by February 9th, 2026 by 4 pm Eastern.
- CTRD NIH Pre-doctoral Trainees Fellowship deadline January 26, 2026
CTRD NIH Pre-doctoral Trainees are outstanding IU graduate students whose integrative research interests focus on behavior and physiology in humans and other animals and will address key questions in three related themes: (1) Developmental contributions to reproductive behavior; (2) Origins and expression of differences among the sexes; and (3) Interactions between sex, health, and disease. Awards are for 12 months of stipend support and include a small allowance for research expenses and travel. CTRD Trainees MUST be citizens, non-citizen nationals or permanent residents of the US.
All materials (including letters from references) must be submitted by January 26, 2026 by 4 pm Eastern.- Faculty Nominations for the Rowland Mentoring Award deadline in February
CISAB founding member William J. Rowland was devoted to the study of animal behavior, and a strong advocate for mentoring and training undergraduates in research, particularly undergraduates who were in one way or another disadvantaged in their opportunities to get research experience. The Bill Rowland Mentoring Award was established in Bill’s memory to recognize graduate students who have served as outstanding research mentors to undergraduates. Recommendations are due in February each year.
- Faculty Nominations for the Hanna Kolodziejski Fellowship deadline in February
Established in memory of Hanna Kolodziejski, a remarkable graduate student in CISAB and the Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior program in Biology, this fellowship is an annual award for a graduate student who, like Hanna, shows academic talent in both research and teaching, and who demonstrates a commitment to the community through service or outreach programs. The fellowship is open to all CISAB and Biology graduate students, with a preference given to members of CISAB and Evolution, Ecology & Behavior (EEB) students. Recommendations are due in February each year.
2026 Animal Behavior Conference
The 2026 Animal Behavior Conference is scheduled for March 27th and 28th, 2026.
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